"There is a forgotten, nay almost forbidden word,
which means more to me than any other.
That word is ENGLAND." - Sir Winston Churchill

Friday, April 01, 2016

Were Luton jihadis plotting London attack?

Delivery driver planned to kill US airman outside airbase in Britain

He plotted with a notorious British ISIS fighter later killed in Middle East

Plotter and his uncle have also been convicted of planning to go to Syria

Chilling message suggests ISIS also had addresses of British servicemen

The pair filmed and posted a video called 'ISIS in Westminster' online

A delivery driver found guilty of plotting to behead a US serviceman in Britain may also have been planning to attack Westminster, it can be revealed.

Junead Khan, from Luton, was today convicted of plotting to carry out the atrocity outside RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk, where US Air Force personnel are stationed.

His trial revealed that he had also posted a video on Youtube called 'ISIS drives around Westminster', which featured music praising ISIS.

The video was made by Khan his uncle Shazib - who was also found guilty of trying to travel to Syria today - in September 2014. The film featured an extremist chant praising Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of ISIS.

The investigation into the pair also uncovered a worrying message which suggests ISIS fighters in Syria have obtained the UK addresses of British servicemen.

+18

+18

Delivery driver Junead Khan (left), from Luton, has been convicted of plotting to behead a US serviceman in Britain. Khan's uncle, Shazib Khan (right), has also been found guilty of planning to travel to Syria

+18

'ISIS in Westminster': Driver guilty of preparing terror attack

Loaded: 0%

Progress: 0%

00:00

Play

Mute

Current Time0:00

/

Duration Time1:07

Fullscreen

Need Text

Schizophrenic Khan, 25, got the idea for the attack on an American airman after driving past RAF Mildenhall as he delivered goods to a Lloyds pharmacy.

Khan wanted to a buy a knife similar to that used by Jihadi John and an ISIS flag was found at his home, which it is believed he wanted to unfurl at the scene.

Khan was found guilty of preparing for an act of terrorism in the UK between May and July 2015 after a trial at Kingston Crown Court in London.

He was also convicted alongside his uncle, Shazib, 23, of preparing to go to Syria to join IS.

Both men had denied engaging in conduct in preparation of terrorist acts between August 1 2014 and July 15 2015.

They showed no emotion as the jury returned its verdicts after deliberating for almost 24 hours following a six-and-a-half week trial.

The 'ISIS in Westminster' footage was filmed before September last year, and Shazib sent the footage to Khan on September 24.

The soundtrack had a man singing: 'Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the dread of our enemies, maids of paradise are calling, record me for my martyrdom, our swords are flashing, our tones are artillery.'

+18

An ISIS flag was found at his home. It is believed he planned to unfurl it at the scene of his atrocity

After he was sent the video, Khan complained: 'U messed up. Should've held the phone sideways. I'm uploading it anyway. Going live right now lol.'

He later sent a link to the video on Youtube, adding: 'Don't mention it's recorded by us.'

'Lol, looks good,' Shazib replied.

But 12 days later, Junead took the video down, telling his uncle: 'I've taken that video off Youtube lol. Didn't wanna bait my life out jus incase.'

Shazib later admitted making the video while Junead was driving, explaining in court: 'We would meet up two or three times a week.

Every time we would meet up, we would go cruising, that's the only thing we knew how to do.

'We would get food on Edgware Road and go to that mosque, Regents Park, get take away, we could eat there quietly, away from the traffic.

+18

+18

Khan (right, with an ISIS flag) plotted the attack with Junaid Hussain (left), an British ISIS recruit in Syria.

Shazib said of the video in court: 'There was no particular reason behind it… We were messing around.'

The plot of which Khan was convicted was to emulate the killing of Lee Rigby. Khan was researching hunting knives of the type used by ISIS executioner Jihadi John.

He was directed by Junaid Hussain, a computer hacker from Birmingham who became one of ISIS's chief recruiters before he was killed by a US drone.

POLICE TRAWLED THROUGH 66,000 MESSAGES IN TERROR PROBE

Scotland Yard said its SO15 counter-terrorism unit had trawled through around 66,000 texts, social media messages and emails after arresting the men.

Among the material they shared was graphic jihadi propaganda material showing executions. They also compiled a list of equipment they would need in Syria.

Commander Dean Haydon, the head of SO15, said: 'Junead Khan faces years in prison for the atrocious acts he planned.

'Around a year before his arrest, local officers reached out to him. They offered to help him follow a positive life path. Junead Khan's refusal spiralled into extremism and plotting acts of terrorism.

'Counter-terrorism officers will take every step to stop and prosecute those who plan such acts of terrorism in the UK to keep the public safe.'

Khan had refused to engage with the Prevent counter-extremism programme and was investigated because he was attending radical talks in Luton.

He delivered medical supplies to Boots, Superdrug, Morrisons Supermarket and Co-Op along with hospitals and surgeries on behalf of Alliance Healthcare.

He worked for a firm called TRG Logistics, which was based in Luton.

His routes took him to East Anglia and to two Lloyd's pharmacies in the village of Mildenhall, Suffolk, close to two US airbases.

RAF Mildenhall and neighbouring RAF Lakenheath were re-opened after the second World War to host B-29 Superfortresses and have hosted US airmen ever since.

Lakenheath is currently home to the 48th 'Liberty' Fighter Wing and Mildenhall to the 100th Air Refueling Wing.

On July 5 2015, Khan wrote to Junaid Hussain on an encrypted app: 'When I saw these US soldiers on road, it just looked simple, but I had nothing on me or wouldve got into an accident with them and made them get out the car.'

'That's what the brother done with Lee Rigby,' Hussain said.

'Yes brother Mujahid style, accident and then attack,' Khan agreed, referring to Michael Adebolajo, one of the killers of Fusilier Lee Rigby in Woolwich.

Hussain suggested it was 'best to have at least pipe bombs or pressure cooker bomb in a backpack incase something happens, so u can do isthishadi bomb [suicide bomb] incase they try to arrest u.'

In one worrying message, Hussain told Khan: 'I can get you addresses of British soldiers.' The message suggests the ISIS fighter, who spent his time hacking computers from Syria, had obtained the personal details of British servicemen.

After Khan attempted to buy a knife online, two flags, the Union Jack and the Stars and Stripes were stolen from outside the New York Diner in Luton.

When Khan was arrested on July 14, he shouted, kicked out at the arresting officers, and yelled 'cowards' and 'Allahu akbar' [god is great].

The US and British flags were later found in Khan's bedroom along with an Islamic flag in the loft and a balaclava in the kitchen which had crudely cut eyeholes.

When police examined Khan's mobile phone, they discovered it contained photos including one of his ISIS flag being waved outside the US Embassy in London.

He also had another mobile phone which included gruesome images of beheadings, beatings and dead bodies, as well as Mohammed Emwazi, the British ISIS executioner known as Jihadi John.

Superdrug employee Shazib was detained on the same day as Khan. Max Hill, QC, prosecuting, said: 'The fact that he [Shazib] did not actually go before being arrested last July makes no difference to this charge.

'However tempting it might be for some people to allow those who wish to leave the UK to do so, upon the basis that at least they would no longer be in the UK, that provides no solution to the terrorism perpetrated by the likes of ISIL.'

He claimed fascinated by the conflict, but had no intention of joining IS. He said he wanted to help by providing money and food.

Judge Mr Justice Edis remanded the men in custody ahead of sentencing on May 13.

Junead was found guilty of preparing to travel to Syria to fight with ISIS by a 10-2 majority verdict and of preparing to attack UK military personnel by a unanimous verdict. Shazib was convicted on unanimous verdicts.

HOW ISIS WAS TARGETING THE MENTALLY ILL AT THE TIME SCHIZOPHRENIC DELIVERY DRIVER AND HIS CONSPIRACY THEORIST UNCLE WERE RECRUITED

ISIS's communication with schizophrenic Junead Khan and his conspiracy theorist uncle Shazib came weeks after a top police chief warned that terrorists were targeting the mentally ill.

In April last year, Met Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley, warned that Islamists were trying to add 'the vulnerable, people with violent backgrounds, very young people and those with mental health issues' to their network.

Less than a few months later, Junead Khan was swapping messages with ISIS's British recruiter-in-chief Junaid Hussain and discussing the plan to behead a US serviceman.

+18

+18

Nicky Reilly (left), who had a mental age of 10, and Brustholm Ziamani (right), who was targeted by extremists after being kicked out of his family home, have been involved in previous plots

Junead suffers from schizophrenia for which he is prescribed the drug Risperidone.

His mother was registered as his carer and he claimed Disability Living Allowance and Employment Support Allowance.

His uncle Shazib meanwhile told Kingston Crown Court the BBC and Sky were part of a 'Zionist conspiracy' along with Marks and Spencer, Sainsbury and Tesco.

The Free Masons and Illuminati – an anti-religious group from the 18th century said to be seeking world power – were also part of the plan to take over the world, he said.

Today's case follows that of London teenager Brustholm Ziamani, who was jailed last February for plotting a similar attack on a British soldier or policeman.

He fell under the spell of extremists after being made homeless in London.

In 2008, 22-year-old Nicky Reilly - who had a mental age of 10 - attempted to carry out a suicide bombing in Exeter after he was contacted by extremists online.